Bipolar Folder of Facts

Bipolar Folder of Facts


Literature on bipolar disorder usually focuses on the problems individuals experience in extreme situations. Usually what gets reported about bipolars in news stories is that someone with bipolar disorder went off their medications, and an incredibly unexpected and bizarre behavior has overwhelmed their regular life routine. This seems to make the news often.

This is called a psychotic break, or a psychotic episode, and in the past was called a nervous breakdown. These psychotic episodes can last for a relatively short period of time if treated quickly, and with the best options for psychiatric medications. If untreated the episodes become more severe, and may include delusions and hallucinations.

Psychosis usually requires hospitalization in a psychiatric facility to allow a time and space, along with counseling and a psychiatric doctor, for the patient who needs a protected space to heal while experiencing a regular routine around other people.A person who has his medications drastically altered, or started from scratch, may experience negative mental or physical side effects.Being in-patient also gives the extra benefit of the patient being with trained nurses and counselors, 24 hours a day, especially if the patient has an unexpected allergic reaction to a medication. The doctors don't always hit all the symptoms with their first attempt at stabilizing medications. A patient needs to find relief for all of their particular symptoms, and sometimes the doctor will change several of a patient's medication as time progresses.

Bipolar life is not an unending psychotic episode, happening 365 days per year. Episodes happen at different intervels for different bipolars. Having to deal with a high stress situation in a bipolar's life, substance abuse, and/ or alcoholic binging can trigger a psychotic episode. Some episodes seem to come on for no particular reason. Behavior is regulated by a lack or overabundance of biochemicals. Bipolar disorder is inherited, but has environmental components.

Seldom does one find writings about the good of the such episodes: extreme creativity attacks.

Manic-depression, or the more politically correct term--bipolar disorder--is believed to affect between approximately 2 % to 20% of the US population, as we enter 2012.

The total number of diagnosed cases of bipolar disorder, and the percentages of raw data collected indicate an increase in those diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The number of people diagnosed with bipolar disorder seems to be increasing all the time.

In the Twentieth Century, manic-depression was considered an adult psychiatric disorder. Within our lifetime, my lifetime, that has changed. Children are now regularly diagnosed and treated with counseling and medication for symptoms and behavior associated with bipolar disorder. The average age of onset of bipolar disorder is 25, according to data from the National Institute for Mental Heallth (NIMH).

This (folder/summary/section) contains facts, research info, and general notes about this disorder with which I am "afflicted." I share my personal experiences and opinions (In the other bipolar folder).



The other folder has essays of a more personal nature, more opinion, on bipolar disorder and what it's like to live with. I hope that bipolars and everyone else can receive some real-life information from someone who knows how much this disorder can damage your concept of the world and your place in it-- possibly preventing a suicide or two.

Suicide is never an option. But, it's often hard to go ahead on through another day, or long, dark night, when you feel like you're stuck to the burning bottom of of your own personal emotional hell.